Avacado Tree

Dean WestAugust 29, 1998

I have 10 avacado trees I started from a seeds. I've understood these trees need to be grafted before they will bear fruit. I've also heard it is impossible for these trees to ever bear fruit. From what I've read, grafting is a difficult task but I would be interested in learning the steps to do so, or if it is impossible for my trees to produce fruit.

I know this is a very late response but...betterlate than never. If Avacados did not bear fruit from the seed, they would become extinct right after they first appeared. A grafted Avacado tree takes from 1 to 3 years to grow fruit. Non grafted Trees take from 7 to 20 years (ouch!). Grafting has several other advantages..you will usualy know the cultivare and the fruit will be edible. For Avacado planted in a pot..look for the Witzle cultivare. Good luck!
Pat

I have been starting avacado's by seed for years. I have had good success, mainly because I had started them in the California climate. I now live in Colorado, and successfully started 2. But when they got to big for the pot, I tried to treansplant them into bigger pots, they shocked out. I lost one, and the other lost about half the leaf. They just went brown about two thirds. I ended up cutting the brown and am hoping the poor thing will come back. My Questions are, how soon should the seed be put into a container after it springs a root, and a top stem; what's the best soil to use; how big a pot to use at first potting; when do I transplant from that; and remember, I live in Colorado Springs, the west side of Pike's peak foothills, and I basically will have to keep it an indoor plant for the rest of it's life. I am trying to create a plant that will thrive, though I know it will be dwarfed by keeping it indoors. I do plan to grow them in a arboritum with Climate control when I can create one. So, if any one has some answers, would you please E mail me a response at, OblioRTD@aol.com Have a good day. Richard.

I too would like to know how to plant an avacado. I have several seedlings in jars of water and they all have good long root shoots on them and real strong stems. I think I have pots big enough but I want to know what kind of soil/dirt to use.

I want to try and grow an avacado tree. I have a seed in a glass of water. The root is starting to show. How long do I let the root grow for? Also when do I plant it in soil?
What kind of soil and how big of a pot?
I too will have to keep the plant indoors over the winter season. I live in Vancouver,Canada so we have seasonal weather. Anyone that can help me get this tree started I would be very grateful. Thank you.

Saw the other message string on avocados first(jeff parsons)& left my starting tips there...
As for getting fruit from outdoor trees, my experience was years ago in the Santa Clara Valley(Calif)--before all the plastic chips...
I sent away for the UC extension pamphlet on the avocado & found the chief reason is they are non-self pollinating & need 2 trees (predominately male & predominately female) close by for the insects to cross-pollinate. I took a sample branch with flowers into a nursery to be indentified, got the opposite kind, and my mother-in-law had avocados in about 2 more seasons for the first time.
Best of luck to you...

I, too, am just starting a tree indoors from seed. This is a first. In no time the plant shot up 2 1/2 ft., but with very few leaves on the stem, except close to the top. So I made a small pinch at the very top hoping to make for a bushier plant like I do with my tomatoes, green peppers, etc. outdoors. I'm on my third transplanting into progressively bigger pots. I'm just guessing and experimenting according to what I do with all my other types of plants. Does anybody have any helpful suggestions???

I took two seeds and wrapped them up in a paper towel, wet the paper towel and jput it in a plastic bag. I forgot them for about a month. The next time I looked the roots were wrapped all the way around. I then forgot to pot them for anoter two weeks and came home one night and noticed it was growing out of the bag. I then transplanted the seeds into a pot. I have one sprout that is almost three feet high and two more that are about 5 inches. I have no idea what grafting is but I guess I will need to find out now..

I have a 9 month old tree that is haveing trouble keeping it's leaves . they turn brown on the edges and dry up . at first i thought it was a lack of water , now i'm stumpped the tree is still living but , i don't know how to feed the plant what it needs, can anyone please help......

i currently have 9 trees, of different types that are all about 6-8 months old and range in size from 2ft. to 4 ft. Keep in mind these plants go thru growth spurts and are extremely sensitive to climate changes,, unfortunately they will not show signs of distress until it is almost too late to help them,,, they are slow growing but a good water sol fish emulsion fertilizer (don't over dose ) does wonders to help keep them strong. as much light as they can get and an average temp of 70 degrees does well .. keep the soil moist but well drained and by all means keep them out of strong winds and drafts. i pot mine in a mix of fine landscapers mix and potting soil,, any good loose soil mix does well ,, try and get as much organic matter in as possible... these are tropical plants,, but mine do well outside on the patio in the summer and indoors with florescent light in the winter... best guess at fruiting is about 5-7 years,, they must be cross pollinated ,, does not hurt to have different variaeties together,,, commercial growers are said to have at least 2 or more varieties at one time..they are much more
time intensive that other plants but well worth the effort as they are truly beautiful when healthy.. if i can be of any further help please email me. good luck!

I have potted my first avacado seed and the sprout is now about 1/2 inch tall. This is my first experience with growing an avacado tree from seed and wasn't sure how to plant it after ??germinating?? (making the root come out) in a glass of water. So I planted it with the top third of the seed above the soil. Looks like it worked...for now. I am SO excited to see it grow! Any suggestions?

I grew 5 or 6 avocado trees w/out trying simply by digging them into the ground in late spring(zone6) along with my other kitchen scraps. I tried chopping them up, etc. Surprise instead of decomposing they sprouted. I felt bad for them & took three in the house, rest froze & died.

I really have no room for them inside. I hope to find good homes for them. Maybe i will keep them & when we settle down, plant them. i did not know they took so long to bear fruit? Do they do well in containers indoors? just in case we never move to CA.

i was looking for info on my avacado plant on the internet,
i have a question & i'm hoping someone can help me.

i have a great avacado plant at home, about 4 feet tall, and it's continuously growing new leaves, but the stem is quite thin, & i'm having to support it. i live in canada, and i'm moving across provinces in about a month or so. i'm wondering if i can root the stem, shorten it a bit, give it a bit more stability. have you ever tried this? do you know if it works? i don't want to kill it, but i'd like to give it a better chance during the move!!

I have an avacado tree (nearly 7 feet tall) in a pot currently. How successfully are they grown in pots? This one has yet to be grafted so no fruit. The fruit would be nice but I like the tree with or without. I'm in zone 9. Any comments or suggestions?

I live in Canada and have grown an avacado. I know it will not produce fruit because I live in a very cold climate, but for the past 5 years it has been a nice tree, now the leaves are starting to wissle and fall off it branched out a month ago for it's second time. Is it going to die? or is it a fluke it even survived? PS I am currently growning a second tree and plan to dwarf it at 5 1/2 feet-first method water and seed second method soil.What kinds of soil and fertilezers should I be useing?
Tania

Avacado trees are a mystery to me. I planted a few pits in the ground about 8 years ago and forgot about them! Now I have four trees. One is about3 stories high and the others sort of short. About twelve feet high. None have ever produced a flower. Oh well, they make wonderful shade.

They receive many compliments. They remain a mystery. They are in Jacksonville, Florida: Zone 9.

I have 2 trees raised from seeds from a local mature tree which the owner destroyed. That tree bore large thin skined, small seed rich tasting fruit. Our trees have been planted 3 years and 1 1/2 years. Never grafted, look healthy but have never flowered. The older is about 12 feet tall, trunk is a couple inches in circumference at the base. The other is about half of these figures. How do I graft, how do I tell male from female? I recently worked in some processed chicken manure and deep watered. Is there something else I need to do? My trees are seperated by my home, one on each side. I wait for your reply,
Sincerely,
Ann

we inherited a 15-foot avacado tree at our new house in Florida that bore as little fruit last year, but it didn't bear any this year. Does it have to be cross-pollinated every year? how do you do that? could there be another reason it didn't bear fruti?
Thanks

We have a 3 ft. tall avacado tree in our backyard that seems to be doing real well. How long will it take for it to bear fruit? Can someone email me and let me know and offer any advice? Thanks so much!

Recently a friend of mind showed me the avacado tree she started from seed 10 years ago. It is huge and doing just find baring fruit and tasty too! We live in zone 9 in the Central Valley of CA. All she said to do is deep water, fertilize and don't let it get the least bit dry. We have very sandy soil,and hot summers. I beleive she did not graft it. Hope this helps, Dee

Fellow Avacado Lovers,
I have a small avacado tree in my California backyard. Three years ago it bore me many delicious avacados, but since then, not a one. I don't understand this. Has anyone had a similar experience. What can I do to change the miserable course that I am presently on. Sincerely, Lonely for Guacamole

I have a tree started from seed. was in the house about 30 years. planted it outside five years when I decided to try grafting it.I think the graft is bacon. This is the first year and I now have six very large avacados. I am in santa clara valley ca. I did four grafts and only one took. How do I know when the fruit are ready to pick. Gettng very large. This tree is now 36 years old. billie

I wonder if someone could help me.I have four avocado plants that i grew from a pit, they are about 3" tall and I am very interested in grafting them but there is a slight problem, i dont know how to.If someone could email me and steer me in the right direction, maybe to a web sight that will show me how, that would be great and if you have any info on dwarfing it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I have an avacado tree that is pretty old. It is very large and has alot of foilage. Last year it produced a large amount of good sized fruit. This year it is only producing small pickle sized looking fruit. What happened? Do I need more water? Fertilizer? Please Help. thank You

My mature Avacado tree (10yrs old) has developed a white colored mass on the trunk and on one branch! It is killing the branch and I presume the tree is in danger too. The leaves look healthy. Does anyone know about this type of fungus?? I tried local stores but no real help.

1. In my Oakland, CA yard is a very old lovely avacado tree which has not born fruit since I've lived here. I imagine that some years ago it may have lost its mate. :-) Meanwhile, it hasn't looked very healthy, with many bare
branches so while having some tree work done, the avacado was airated and the dead branches pruned off... i'm
hoping the airation will help it to survive... should I feed it something? Do they just eventually die of old age?

2. I brought some seeds back from mexico, of the little black skinned avacados eaten like fruit there, and stuck several in one pot and one in water. I didn't really expect them to grown, but 4 in the pot rooted and appear strong and healthy. I stuck the water started on in the pot as well, and it didn't do well but now seems to be having a second life. If I put these plants outside in the spring, can i put them in a large pot, or should they be put in the ground? Will they maybe help my old timer to bloom and fruit? Must they be grafted? I don't know how! Do you think they will bloom? When do they bloom? Anyone know where I can find a picture of the bloom?

I've read a lot here about the necessity of grafting to bear fruit in a timely manner. Is this process still necessary if you have two different types of avacado trees in close proximity? My (albeit limited) research had lead me to believe that the grafting method was simple to assist pollination, and that having two trees instead of grafting one onto the other would produce the same results. Anyone know if I am correct or completely off-base?

I would like help with my baby avacado plant. Planted from a seed, its about 2 feet, healthy with big leaves, she hadn't grown a bit, and her leaves are turning brown around the ends, so I went to repot in a much bigger pot. Will she survive? Any ideas on the brown spots, (they are not on the new leaves), and she was entirely root bound. Right now not interested in bearing fruit, I just want her to grown into a beautiful tree. By the way, i live in the mtns of colorado, dry, lots of sun, and warm in my house. Thanks, Cathy

Will all of you please note that the name AVOCADO is supposed to be spelled as I spelled it. Thank you. I am an educator and it is irritating to know that people follow others mistakes. Sorry, I have an avocado tree also, and read up. It is 1 and 1/2 years old, and I do not plan on grafting. She is tall and beautiful. I love her the way she is.

HI everyone This may look like a late reply but I've just come accross this post!

I'm from paris France and an avocado tree lover too!!

Most people will shoot graft a very young avocado tree, about eighteen inches tall. Just cut the top off the tree, split the trunk in half for about two inches, cut the scion in a long vee shape, and insert it into the cut. Wrap the graft with a long 1/4 inch wide rubber band. The scion is best when it is the same diameter as the trunk. You can do it with a bigger tree but then you'll have to graft onto smaller branches!!!

Now if anyone has access to an avocado tree (Mexicola, HAss, Bacon.... ) and could help me out and send me some cutting so I can try grafting my trees started from seed I'd definitely be grateful!!!!!!!!! Let me know... feel free to send a mail!

I found that my avocados will not sprout, or will die when I try to grow them first using the toothpick/ jar of water method. My most successful plant started growing only when I placed it in a pot with regular store-bought potted soil w/ plant food or fertilizer in it, and watered it only when the soil felt dry. Apparently avocado plants are very susceptible to root rot, caused by an excess of water surrounding the roots. Root rot will eventually cause the plant to wilt, as though it were parched, so, I would advise that if your plant isn't looking too great, among other things you may want to try cutting down on the watering, but then again I'm no expert.

I am in Florida and have several questions about growing Avacado Tree's. I have a tree about 10-12 ft. tall planted in the ground started from a seed and not grafted. I only have one, will it produce without another tree to cross polinate?? I have several citrus trees in this grove, will they work for polinization purposes?

I am having a type of pest issue also. There are large areas (2" x 3") sections of bark that have been "chewed" off the trunk in several places. What can I do to stop this. The trunk is now exposed in these areas and turning to what looks like dead wood. I have sprayed them with a liquid insectocide and don't know if that will help.